an alarm, with a timer to set off an alarm at the time when the fruit should[is reckoned to] be ripe (or with a mechanism for detecting just ripe fruit) that shouts in different fruit voices/accents/with names[to tell apart which fruit was ripening] about 'hey! dont forget us oranges!'
-- technobadger, Nov 15 2001

Information on exotic fruit ripeness http://asiarecipe.com/fruit.html
Includes which fruits ripen, and general tips for gauging ripeness. [pottedstu, Nov 15 2001, last modified Oct 04 2004]

Advice on some common fruit and veg http://www.keagyspr...com/tips_hints.html
[pottedstu, Nov 15 2001, last modified Oct 04 2004]

Summer fruits http://www.fabulous...tips/fruittips.html
[pottedstu, Nov 15 2001, last modified Oct 04 2004]

(?) Choosing fruit and veg http://www.bhg.com....22_Article_FruitVeg
For quality and ripeness [pottedstu, Nov 15 2001, last modified Oct 04 2004]

Ripeness Sensor http://www.gizmag.com/go/3575/
RipeSense labels don't send off an alarm, but they do provide a visual alert to a piece of fruit's ripeness. [jurist, Jul 29 2006]

RediRipe Sticker http://www.azstarnet.com/news/139457.php
Sensor label turns from white to blue. [jurist, Jul 29 2006]

"Mind the oranges, Marlon!"
-- jutta, Nov 15 2001


Hmmm. One could put a weight atop the subject fruit whose weight is precisely chosen to flatten said fruit when it became too ripe. As the weight falls, it trips a small bell to let you know that your banana is past its prime.
-- bristolz, Nov 16 2001


Some fruits give out ethylene when ripe (e.g. apples), so this could be used in a chemical detector. Probably the best thing to tell if fruit is ripe would be a picture book with examples of ripe and unripe fruit of each sort. Meanwhile, in my capacity as an ex-greengrocer, I've linked to some advice for you. The first link is the most general, and tells lots of stuff about the ripening process from a non-technical point of view.

I think I have the same problem as [technobadger] though, in that I buy fruit that isn't ripe yet, and then I forget about it until it's turned to mush.
-- pottedstu, Nov 16 2001


Eddie Izzard did a sketch on this subject. Pears have a useful lifespan of around 4 seconds, during which period they go from rock-hard to pile-of-mush.
-- angel, Nov 16 2001


Well, avocados are evil, unless you like the taste of soap.
-- bristolz, Nov 16 2001


Somehow, I doubt that soap would be a good substitute for avocados, to be mashed, mixed with onion, cilantro, sea salt and paprika, and served over warm tortilla chips with refried beans and cheese.
-- Guncrazy, Nov 16 2001


Well, Guncrazy, I didn't say that soap was a good substitute but I'm betting that mashed and mixed, warmed and served, it would taste about the same as the avocado and probably better than avocado mixed with cilantro.
-- bristolz, Nov 16 2001


I happen to love avocados. Respect my green brother.
-- chupacabra, Jan 26 2002


Cilantro tastes like soap to me...but I'd rather have it than avocados or their pre-eaten appearing form guacamole...
-- StarChaser, Jan 27 2002



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